


The Graduate

by emmagnetised



Series: All The Little Lights [10]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, College, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Happily Ever After AU, Happy Ending, Multi, Other, The Avengers Won, The Wyvern, Tony Stark's Sister, one shots, team fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-26
Updated: 2019-11-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:54:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21567964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emmagnetised/pseuds/emmagnetised
Summary: Maggie makes the news again.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Original Female Character(s), Pepper Potts/Tony Stark
Series: All The Little Lights [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1305146
Comments: 10
Kudos: 44





	The Graduate

**MARGARET STARK GRADUATES SUMMA CUM LAUDE**

_Sitting next to her in the MIT graduation ceremony, dressed in a black academic gown and graduate cap, one might be forgiven for not recognizing Margaret Stark._

_The Avenger, inventor, and survivor of HYDRA graduated today as a mature-aged student with the rest of her 4500-strong cohort, receiving the highest honors alongside her degree from the prestigious institute. It was a bright, sunny day, save for a slight rumble of thunder when Thor arrived to participate in proceedings._

_When Ms Stark enrolled at MIT she faced worldwide scrutiny: many questioned her intentions or the point of her attending college when she is qualified on all but paper, and others accused her of nepotism for finding a place at a college where she shares the same last name as a campus library. But MIT was quick to share that Ms Stark was accepted on her own merit, save for the fact that she'd been given some leeway for never actually attending a high school._

_Ms Stark's academic career, while documented in the press, has been relatively standard: she attended lectures and labs, submitted assignments, and worked in group projects with others. Fellow students have described her as "odd, but fun in class", "kind of intimidating, but… [she's] not a showoff", and "really good to have in your group"._

_One of Ms Stark's professors, Doctor Rothstein, said this about Ms Stark last year: "When you see the name Stark on your student list, you know it's going to be an interesting semester. There's no doubt in my mind that Maggie is much smarter than me, and knows much more about aeronautical engineering than me. But teaching isn't about being smarter than your student. It's about encouraging them to think, to create, and to solve problems. In that respect, teaching Maggie Stark has been a joy."_

_Industry experts have noted that Ms Stark has not been as active in Stark Industries since she started at MIT, no doubt to keep up with her classwork, but throughout her time at college she has kept up her role as a full time Avenger. Senator Hinkley stated in Ms Stark's first semester that she posed a risk to the campus as a whole, but no threats have emerged in her time there. Though, as the MIT campus student-run facebook page suggests, Avengers sightings have increased exponentially (see our gallery for images of Tony Stark, James Barnes, Steve Rogers, and Thor at various food vendors and recreation spots on campus)._

_The graduation ceremony, traditionally a time for family and friends to celebrate their graduate, was naturally attended by the entire force of active and inactive Avengers. Tony Stark, who graduated MIT summa cum laude in 1987 and has returned in years since to give Commencement speeches, sat with his family and the rest of the team in the guest seats. When Ms Stark crossed the stage to receive her degree and shake the chancellor's hand, appearing nervous but excited, the Avengers' cheers could be heard distinctly across the venue. At the conclusion of the ceremony Ms Stark's long-term partner Sergeant Barnes presented her with a bouquet of flowers._

_Ms Stark's degree itself is an unusual one. She made waves in the academic world when it became clear that though she'd chosen to study at a world-leading college for technology and science, she also intended to blend her study of 'hard sciences' with other disciplines._

_Ms Stark herself has publicized that alongside her specializations in aeronautics, engineering, and cybernetics, she has also taken classes in psychology, literature, history, languages, and political science. To achieve such a broad spectrum of learning she has taken satellite courses at nearby colleges. Her educational choices may appear random (last year she was enrolled in a medieval literature class and another class named 'History of Pirates'), but she appears to have thrived in the academic environment._

_Ms Stark's honors thesis project, titled "Science and Magic: Asgardian Diplomacy on Earth" explores the benefits and potential detractors of opening diplomatic ties with New Asgard on a technological, political, and sociocultural basis. One could be forgiven for wondering if hers is a scientific or political science thesis, and the answer is: both. Ms Stark took on a supervisor from each discipline last year._

_The thesis is privileged to contain source material from the current Asgardian leader Valkyrie, the former Asgardian king Thor (both close personal friends and teammates of Ms Stark's), a host of groundbreaking scientists including Dr Jane Foster (of the "Foster Theory"), and world-leading policy makers and diplomats. She modeled much of her thesis on Wakanda's wave-making reveal to the world in 2016. Her closing argument, that close ties with Asgard will better humanity as a whole if carried out with honesty and respect, is sure to become a seminal work in the budding field of inter-galactic diplomacy._

_MIT's graduation ceremony saw many speeches, and Ms Stark was invited to speak near the close of proceedings. She took to the podium with the dignity and gravitas the world has become familiar with since her first press conference at the Avengers Facility, years ago._

_"I never graduated from elementary school," Ms Stark began her speech. "I only attended for about a year before I was taken away from my family and my life. I don't say this to make myself – or anyone else – sad, but I wanted to put this day into perspective. I never got the chance to go to school, to study. When I was free at the ripe age of twenty seven I realized that I loved learning, thanks to someone very special to me bringing me to a university for the first time in twenty years. I'm incredibly lucky to have found my way back to a place of learning, let alone graduate with honors. And it's been my privilege to learn and graduate alongside you all – dedicated, curious people who value knowledge."_

_Ms Stark used her speech to congratulate her fellow graduands and foster a value for education. She ended with the following: "We've all come to the end of this journey, but none of us are done with learning. Whether that means we're coming back for more graduate studies or to teach in our turn, or to go out into the world and seek knowledge wherever we can find it, learning is a journey that will see us through our lives. One might even say it's a mission. Happy learning, everyone."_

_Though every Avenger attended the ceremony, they largely declined to speak to the press. The Avengers' official statement reads: "The Avengers family is proud beyond words today as Maggie graduates from MIT after years of hard work and dedication. Maggie has been through immense trauma and upheaval in her life, and to see her enrich her mind and explore her potential in this way is an important moment for the whole team. Those of us who have known Maggie since she was a child and those of us who met her as the strong, brilliant adult she has become know that she has earned every honor coming her way today, and know that she has many more surprises in store for the world._

_Congratulations to this year's MIT graduating class, we wish you all the best in your future endeavors and look forward to working with you one day."_

_The demeanor of the Avengers at the ceremony today reflected their statement's pride, though perhaps not its gravitas; Mr Stark held his daughter Morgan on his shoulders as he loudly cheered for his sister and used a series of unusual nicknames, certain Avengers were seen weeping at the ceremony (among them Colonel James Rhodes, himself an MIT graduate), and several students reported Thor approaching them at random in the crowd to ask them questions about 'Midgardian customs of education'._

_Mr Stark is tonight throwing a party for the entire graduating class._

**Author's Note:**

> Fun fact: your friendly author did a course on medieval literature and a course on the history of pirates at university. So let me leave you with a quote from my buddy Chaucer: 
> 
> "And gladly wolde he lerne, and gladly teche."


End file.
